''Apache Territory'' is a 1958 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US * Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that i ...

film directed by

Ray Nazarro Ray Nazarro ''(aka'' "Ray" and "Nat;" ''né'' Raymond Alfred Nazarro; September 25, 1902 – September 8, 1986) was an American film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. Budd Boetticher called him a "ten-day picture guy."Budd Boe ...

and produced by and starring

Rory Calhoun Rory Calhoun (born Francis Timothy McCown, August 8, 1922April 28, 1999) was an American film and television actor. He starred in numerous Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared in supporting roles in films such as ''How to Marry a Millio ...

. It was released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the multi ...

. The story is based on the 1957 novel ''Last Stand at Papago Wells'' by

Louis L'Amour Louis Dearborn L'Amour (; né LaMoore; March 22, 1908 – June 10, 1988) was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels (though he called his work "frontier stories"); however, he also wrote hi ...

. Shot on location at Red Rock Canyon in California, this production was Calhoun's last film before moving to television as '' The Texan'' on CBS. It was also the final film in the career of co-star Barbara Bates.

Plot

Drifter A drifter is a vagrant who moves from place to place without a fixed home or employment. Drifter(s) or The Drifter(s) may also refer to: Films and television Films * ''The Drifter'' (1917 film), an American film directed by Fred Kelsey * ''Th ...

Logan Cates (

) spies the desert at a watering hole when he sees Apache Indians about to attack three cowboys. He fires a warning shot into the air, allowing the cowboys to flee. Sometime later, Cates encounters a young woman whose parents have been tortured and murdered by Apache Indians. Sensing the presence of Apaches, Logan brings the girl to a small box canyon that is not only defensible but has a supply of water. He meets up with 19-year-old Lonnie Foreman, who was the only survivor of the group that Cates warned before. The location attracts a variety of people escaping the Apaches including a small band of cavalrymen, Logan's former girlfriend, Jennifer Fair, and her fiancee, Grant Kimbrough. On the first night in the canyon, a

Pima Pima or PIMA may refer to: People * Pima people, the Akimel O'odham, Indigenous peoples in Arizona (U.S.) and Sonora (Mexico) Places * Pima, Arizona, a town in Graham County * Pima County, Arizona * Pima Canyon, in the Santa Catalina Mountains ...

Indian named Lugo sneaks in looking for water. Though he is wanted for murder by the United States for killing an officer who wanted Lugo's gold, Cates allows him to stay due to his hatred towards the Apache. Lonnie and Junie Hatchett, the girl who Cates rescued earlier, quickly grow attached to one another. They are besieged by Apache, where Logan the loner gradually discovers that he can not escape the responsibility of leadership of the group through his knowledge of Indian fighting and the local territory as well as his ability to knock sense into their heads when they engage in unhelpful behaviour. The numbers of the cavalrymen slowly dwindle, with initial attacks killing off one soldier as well as the sergeant. One of the cavalrymen, Zimmerman, hatches a plan to escape with Kimbrough, though Jennifer doesn't agree with the plan. Zimmerman is killed when he steals Lugo's gold and runs into the desert, where he is quickly shot. Lugo, however, hid his gold supply and Zimmerman only stole rocks. As their food supplies dwindle, Cates risks his life by invading the Apache camp for food. Shortly thereafter, their water supplies begin to dwindle as well. Cates motions to ration off the water. More Apache attacks cause the deaths of more cavalrymen, until only Webb and Conley are left. A fellow officer's death leaves Webb enraged, and he runs blindly into the Apache camp, where he is wounded and taken. That night, the sound of his tortured cries torments the survivors. Cates leaves and it is implied that he ends the horror by shooting Webb. As the wind picks up, Cates to put a plan into action: under the cover of a sandstorm, they will fill empty water bottles with black powder and small stones to make

grenade A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade g ...

s and scatter the Apache across the desert. As they prepare to leave, Kimbrough disagrees with Cates' plan to leave Lugo with the women, and though he journeys out with the other men, he quickly returns so he can flee. Jennifer realizes Kimbrough is nothing but a coward and breaks off their engagement. Kimbrough tries to leave but is stopped by Lugo. Kimbrough attempts to draw his gun but Lugo shoots him dead. Elsewhere, Cates, Conley and Lonnie find the Apache horde. Cates and Lonnie light and throw their grenades successfully, but Conley simply runs into the Apache camp and detonates his grenade at point blank range. The two return to the Box Canyon, where Jennifer reveals the fate of Kimbrough. After the storm passes, Lugo reveals he hid his gold in Cates' saddlebags, and gives a share of his gold to Lonnie so he and Junie can move to California. Lugo, Lonnie and Junie leave, with only Cates and Jennifer remaining. Jennifer leaves, with Cates catching up to her and the two riding off into the distance.

Cast

as Logan Cates * Barbara Bates as Jennifer Fair *

John Dehner John Dehner (DAY-ner) (born John Dehner Forkum, also credited Dehner Forkum; November 23, 1915February 4, 1992) was an American stage, radio, film, and television actor. From the late 1930s to the late 1980s, he amassed a long list of performan ...

as Grant Kimbrough *

Carolyn Craig Carolyn Craig (born Adele Ruth Crago, October 27, 1934 – December 12, 1970) was an American actress who was best known for her performance as Nora Manning in William Castle's 1959 shocker ''House on Haunted Hill''. Career Craig gained early ...

as Junie Hatchett * Tom Pittman as Lonnie Foreman (as Thomas Pittman) *

Leo Gordon Leo Vincent Gordon (December 2, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American character actor and screenwriter. During more than 40 years in film and television he was most frequently cast as a supporting actor playing brutish bad guys but o ...

as Zimmerman * Myron Healey as Webb *

Francis De Sales Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach t ...

as Sgt. Sheehan (ad Francis DeSales) *

Frank DeKova Frank de Kova (March 17, 1910 – October 15, 1981) was an American character actor in films, stage, and TV. Biography De Kova was born in New York City. He was a teacher at a school in New York before joining a Shakespeare repertory group. He ...

as Lugo (as Frank deKova) * Regis Parton as Conley (as Reg Parton)

Other

Seven years prior to this film, Calhoun and Bates portrayed a young couple desperately in love in '' I'd Climb the Highest Mountain'' (1951), and Bates played a character named Jenny.

References

External links

*
Apache Territory
on AFI Catalog of Feature Films {{DEFAULTSORT:Apache Territory 1958 films 1958 Western (genre) films 1950s English-language films American Western (genre) films Films directed by Ray Nazarro Columbia Pictures films Films based on American novels Films based on Western (genre) novels Films based on works by Louis L'Amour Films shot in California 1950s American films